


Beloved Monster from Bedtime Stories

by Marta_Ayanami



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: AU, Ficlets, Gen, Loki being Loki, Loki knowing and not sharing, Loki loves Thor, Multi, Other, Thor POV, Thor loves Loki, but Loki still loves Thor more than almost anyone it is the truth, with terror that Thor may slay him in anger someday
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-08-05 20:01:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16374125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marta_Ayanami/pseuds/Marta_Ayanami
Summary: A different AU.In our vast Multiverse...A universe where Loki, Loki Odinson, knows the truth of his birth, ever since he was 500 years old.Knowing hurts differently than ignorance.A series of ficlets all set in one AU verse.





	1. Slave

Ever since yesterday, his little brother was strangely quiet. Quieter than usual, even.

Yesterday, it seemed as if Mother took him aside to tell him something - AGAIN, frustratingly. Some ancient art, magic, knowledge that he, Thor, was, not privy to, certainly.

Oooooh, how he envied little Loki their Mother's love. Really. He had Father's at least, unlike Loki. Father was cross with Loki since yesterday, very cross, Thor's noticed.

Still, his brother looked so frowny, right now, Thor couldn't help but rush to his side and poke him in the elbow with newly-gotten Mjolnir, grinning.

And then, something happened, something strange. Loki's eyes widened, and he shrieked, as if somebody was going to skin him alive:

"I yield! I yield, Thor, I yield! Mercy... please... please... if you ever loved me before yesterday, I, I, I , I beg you, just--- leave me alive---!!!"

 

There was sheer panic and fear in Loki's voice. It reminded Thor of one day on Vanaheim, when Thor almost died, and would have died if not for Loki's apparently helpful tricks. This panic - it was the same. But why?

Thor threw Mjolir aside, far away, and moved to hug Loki. The action, however, made the younger brother tremble even more, and then, Loki began to cry and breathe in such a strange way, as if the air was escaping, Thor couldn't understand it.

Loki was no child, now, for certain. Loki was five hundred years old. But right now, he was looking like a baby who's just suffered an assassination attempt.

"Loki? Loki, talk to me. If you love me, please stop crying, alright?"

The tears suddenly disappeared.

Thor frowned. He was pretty sure that the lack of tears was an illusion, but he said nothing.

He glanced back at the horses.

"Hey, Lok. Let's ride. That always cheer you up!"

Loki muttered something. Inaudibly.

Thor frowned, and said,

"Care to repeat for your apparently hard of hearing beloved brother, LokLok?"

Loki shook his head, and then, louder, he uttered, "Before yesterday, I knew nothing, Thor, I swear I knew nothing, just like you knew nothing! But now, I know. I, I, I, I, I, I c-can erase my memory of finding out, if, if, if that's necessary. And, before yesterday, I, I, I knew nothing, and loved you, like a brother, but, if my love is not enough. I will - I will love you more. MORE! Just, please, don't, don't, don't slay me. I will love you more. I will love you most! You will see... my existence... will be of help to You. So, please, please, please, don't slay me today!"

Thor laughed. This was the strangest joke he's ever heard.

"Well then" Thor said, grinning. "Be my slave. Do everything I tell you to do. Then, I will never slay you, on my honour!"

He continued saying this, grinning. If this be a joke, he'd play along.

Loki nodded mutely, then whispered, "Yours. From today on. Any part that you want."

Thor giggled.

"Right now, I want somebody who's awesome at horse riding. A very obedient and clever and full of jokes brother who will ride into most dangerous parts of forests with me, can you arrange for that, Lok? Come on, brother, let's go!"

Loki nodded, smiling shakily. "There will be plenty of jokes. My best ones. And illusions, if you'd like."

"Yeah! I'm ordering fifty! No, more! Till you're too tired to make another one!" Thor replied, chuckling.

Loki nodded mutely, looking strangely serious.

Ah, but surely he was following the joke, Thor thought.

And they rode on. Thor was still laughing at Loki's strange joke.

Why, then, was there a strange uneasiness in his gut? The feeling of _**wrongness,**_ wrongness that was threatening to make Thor puke?

"Hey, Lok. I'm still waiting for that first illusion."

His younger brother, looking strangely somber, made a little gesture.

And then, in front of them, a rainbow appeared. It was the most detailed and beautiful rainbow that Thor's ever seen, more beautiful than real rainbows.

"Wow," Thor uttered, "You're... good."

Loki nodded, smiling. The smile was, however... weird, in a way that Thor couldn't pinpoint.

Oh, well. His brother had 'weird days' before, that was just the latest one. Just like a rainbow, it will pass. It will pass.

 

For certain.

 

 

\--------

 

Omake, AKA, a deleted scene:

 

"Ouch!" Thor yelped, as Mjolnir came to his hand after half an hour, making him lose his balance, knocking him of the horse--

He expected to find himself on the ground, instead, he found himself on Loki.

"Hmm???"

"Aren't slaves--- supposed to catch their masters?" Loki asked.

Thor stared dumbly. "Er, your arm is broken, Loki."

"My apologies. Your property shall be fixed, just give it a minute."

Thor shook his head, the joke has gone on long enough.

"Use the word 'master' about me again, instead of Thor, or brother, or Your Majesty, and I'll kill you."

Loki paled strangely.

"M-my apologies, Your Majesty, my royal Brother."

Thor chuckled, "Hey, you're just as royal as I am, you know that."

Loki nodded. "Which is why I will prove to be a fitting slave for the crowned prince, I assure you. And so, there is no need to slay me."

Thor's smile faltered. "I can see you love this joke, so let's keep it up. But if you call yourself the s-word again, I'm breaking your ribs."

"Then, what would the proper word be, Thor?" still pale Loki asked strangely shakily.

Damn, but was he ever good at acting, Thor thought, with a wide grin lightning up his face.

"The word is 'Loki', alright? And 'younger brother', that, too. Just be my Loki, like always. Ha! Let's go."

"Your Loki... yes... fine. I mislike the 's' word, too. And so, order your Loki anything."

"I'm ordering my Loki to shut up for the next three days, not a single word, enough is enough! And let's go!"

Loki nodded mutely, and followed. For the next three days, Thor did not hear his dear brother utter a single word, at least not in Thor's presence.

Yeah, surely it was just in Thor's presence. On the second day, Thor whispered to him, "You're the best, please always be my brother, alright?" because really, who else but Loki could pull such a grand practical joke off.


	2. And I want to see the monster inside my skin, I want to touch it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His brother and master never forbade him from coming here, after all. Neither did his father.

"They didn't polish my armour well enough!" Thor yelled, annoyed. It'd been a week since Loki's strange 'slave' prank or joke, and Thor's all but forgotten it.

That's why he doesn't understand what's happening when Loki suddenly took Thor's armour from him, and with a single spell, scrapes all the left-over dirt from it.

"Huh. Thanks for being so kind, brother, but you're no servant, you musn't do this."

Loki stares at him.

"Am I not, Thor? Then, what am I? Am I so low that I am not even agreeable to servant's job?"

Thor laughed at that. Another strange joke, to be certain. He knew his brother had weird mood this whole week, so, he was sure it'd be best to humour him and laugh at his jokes until he ceased making such weird ones.

"You're Loki. Come on, Fandral's waiting for us! Today, we're all going to break into the Vault! Father's Vault. Or at least, try to. To see if it really is soooooo protected that nobody can!"

Loki suddenly smirked at that.

"Thor. Thor, stop this madness. It _**is**_ that well protected. I'd know. I've broken in, once, because I needed to see myself. I wanted to see myself - just one time. And so, I took it, and saw myself--- and before you ask, **yes,** I am disgusting. Hide--Thor?"

Loki shuddered when Thor's hand was suddenly on his forehead.

He mouthed something, Thor was pretty sure he was able to read _dontslaymedontslayme_ in the quiet words, but that. That couldn't be right. He misread it, that was all.

"Hmmm. As cold as always, no fever. You worried me, brother, rambling like that. Never ramble like that, alright? For my sake. Please? You worried me."

Loki looked at him with the gaze he couldn't read. It seemed almost-- empty. Thor shuddered.

"Brother..." Loki asked, so quietly, it was hard to even hear, "bro---Your Majesty, what is rambling, when it concerns you?"

Thor felt himself put on a spot.

"Rambling is... well, it is... let's ask Mother, can we not? But for me, I think, I think it's when you say more than five sentences a minute? If you don't do that, I'll be calmer."

Loki nodded at that.

The feeling of unease returned.

Thor almost screamed: "But no more days of silent treatment! Mother thought I told you to be silent for three days! What a complete and utter--- how could she even think that, think so low of me, of us?! That was just our shared joke! Wasn't it?"

"Yes, brother. Our shared joke."

Thor shook his head. "If you're still continuing that poor prank, then I'm ordering you, do what I want you to do, not what I say I want you to do, you-- you foolish brother!"

Loki seemed to consider this.

"In other words," he finally muttered, "Your thoughts are to be my orders, not your words. Very well."

Thor shook his head, and turned to leave. This whole week, Loki's been impossible. Utterly impossible.

He decided to ask Father the reason as to why. To ask Father whether something's happened to Loki.

But first--

"Get me inside that Vault, at least. That could be relaxing. Listen, we would see all the conquered treasures again!"

Loki sighed.

_________________

"And this one, that's the Casket of Ancient Winters, isn't it? Hey, what would happen if I touched it? Or you?"

Thor wanted to know, as he's realised, he's never asked. And this was so intriguing! Besides, the colour of the Casket was lovely. He started, when Loki suddenly took the Casket in his hands. And the colour----wait, was the Artifact cursing his little brother?! Why else would his little Loki be changing colour like this---?! What kind of---?!

Thor stared, and screamed, "What kind of abomination--?!"

Loki stared at him, eyes wide, suddenly panting.

"I, I, I, I, Iiiiiiiii thought you were told. I thought you w-were told. I thought you were told!!!"

"No!!!" Thor screamed, not knowing what his brother was talking about, but scared, confused, and concerned for Loki's well-being.

"This can..." Loki whispered suddenly, "This can... be used as transport... Jotunns once used it so... you... if you say, you don't want to see me this way, I, I--"

_He looks so beautiful like this. Loki does. But why, and how? Has the Casket cursed him?! Obviously I don't want my brother to be cursed, how can he even ask that of me?! Does he truly think so little of me?!_

Thor shuddered, took deep breath, looked around, looked at the Destroyer, that came and was standing in the back, menacingly, not attacking them probably only because of their royal blood...

He took a deep breath and yelled, "I'd rather die than see you like that, Loki, I swear that on my life! I will only see you healthy!"

_I would rather die than see my beloved brother cursed, perhaps fatally cursed, for all I know. What is even happening. Ah, but he cannot read my thoughts if I don't say them or don't touch him. But I said my thoughts already, clearly and with no room for doubt, have I not?_

Why, then, there were suddenly tears in Loki's now strangely red eyes? Why did he look... like something about to break? Thor could not make heads or tails of it.

And then, Loki picked the Casket up again, and with a blue shimmer, and a spasm of a sob, he said, "I, I'll come back, tomorrow maybe? When I look Asgardian again. I meant- no disrespect - Brother, I, I, I-I, I did not-did not--" and disppeared from the Vault.

 

Omake / Deleted Scene:

 

"Father, is Loki cursed?"

"No. He's my son, and your brother. Don't ever doubt that."

Thor shook his head. "That is--- that was not my question? I mean, the grass is green, the sky is blue, the favourite animal of my younger brother is a horse, but I hath not asked that. I mean: he turned BLUE!! Is, Is Loki cursed?"

Odin shook his head and stood up from the throne.

"No. Your brother isn't cursed. The colour - that is explained by his birth, should you wish to know."

"Should I know? Never mind, Father, if it is something about Loki, Loki will tell me when he is ready, that, I know. But, he hath not been cursed?"

Odin shook his head again, looking worried now, and a bit stressed.

"Then everything is alright!" Thor shouted, and cheerfully ran out of the Throne Room, whistling his favourite tune, running now to tell Fandral that Loki isn't cursed, after all, and so, Loki will return soon for certain!

All was well.


	3. Stop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She said, "Stop torturing your brother."
> 
> Why would she say that?
> 
> He loved his dear brother, with all his sudden odd behaviours, even. He'd rather die than do him any sort of harm.
> 
> "Mother, what do You mean, when you say 'torture'?"
> 
> She smiles sadly.
> 
> "I know. You don't do it on purpose."

"Geeeeez, it's too early in the morning to shine light and read books. You can read after breakfest, for now, turn it off, go to your bed, roll over, and sleep."

Loki sighed heavily and made the green illusory flame vanish.

Ah, the room was blissfully dark again and Thor could continue sleeping.

"Yes, sir," Loki said, sort of almost quietly. "Anything else you'd require, sir?"

"Wow. Did you know that your voice got so pretty, lately? You sound like Mother, almost. Heh, of the two of us, you really are the flesh of her flesh. I'm more like our Father."

In the darkness of the suddenly very cold sleeping chamber of Thor and Loki, with a strange sound as if something was suddenly iced, Loki's breath suddenly hitched. And he uttered:

"Brother, you, you, you--- you don't know of me?!"

Thor stared, dumbfounded. "Know what?"

Loki's chuckle in response was weird. Strange. Ever so strange--

"Stop laughing, don't you ever laugh like--" Thor shouted, suddenly scared for Loki, with no idea whatsoever as to why.

"Like a monster you will slay?"

"Exactly!"

"Yes, my Brother," Loki replied.

That night, or almost morning, Thor did not sleep again. He just stood up in an hour and a half, where a promise of the sunrise soon appeared.

*******

"Thor. I know you don't mean to do so, but you're torturing Loki. I only wished I had noticed a year ago - no, two years ago - when you began."

Thor laughed softly, incredulous.

"Mother... Mom, are you in on Loki's weird fealty jokes? T'is just a new ridiculous game he's playing, trying to catch me red-handed if I fall for it and try to order him to do something. And then Loklok will be like: gotcha, who do you think you are, my king or what? And stab me between the ribs or something."

Mother smiled sadly and shook her head.

"Thor. Please."

Thor looked at his feet.

"Fine, I see how it is, the little snakecow fooled you. But mom, I'd rather die a thousand times, than bring Loki any harm. He's my little brother, so Iove him, I have no choice."

He turned to leave. Mother called him in secret only to say such hurtful and false things, this was awful. He was the one who was suddenly being tortured by loving family, not his spiteful little brother.

"It's time you've learned. Loki... your little brother is a frost giant."

Thor giggled. He just couldn't help it. This was the lamest joke he's ever heard.

"Of course, prithee, I should've noticed so, sooner! And as for me, I am Surtur, hear me roar."

Laughing, Thor left Mother's chambers. And bumped into Loklok on his way towards said chambers.

"Bzzt, no entry for Frost Giants, that'd be a safety hazard for Mother," Thor said, grinning. "If I find a Frost Giant talking to my mother, I might kill such a rude giant. Tomorrow. It's fifty fifty."

Loki paled, and tensed.

"And. You might not?"

"Hmmm, there is a chance. If the frost giant is obedient enough in other matters."

Loki nodded slightly, shivering weirdly, and went to see their Mother.

Thor shook his head. This whole joke or trick or whatever it was that Thor could not understand, was getting out of hand.

It really was.

And of course Loki wasn't a Frost Giant! Not that it would be bad if he was, or anything, geez.

But Loki was surely no giant - frost, or ice, or mud, or air, or nothing.

He was just too tiny!

So. There. Yeah!

Now, if his dear little brother WAS a Frost Giant, he'd be the largest Frost Giant ever, much bigger than Frost Giant king Laufey or whatever that king's name was.

Because if that was Loki's thing? Loki would excel at it! 

Meanwhile. Loki was so tiny. So tiny and little, still. Thor could still pick him up whenever and dear Loki weighed almost nothing.

Ergo, Loki was no giant, frost or fire or air or nothing.

So there!

But wait. Mom said somthing too weird but what did she  _mean_

_I guess Loki's adopted._

_Huh._

_That's why he said weird slave jokes! Hah, that's a good one. That's my beloved brother in a nutshell._

_I will tell him next that I'm not taking him to bed or anything just because he has a bit less of my blood than assumed._

_You're not very funny, Loki, cause you are still my only brother and all._


	4. A mury runą, runą, runą

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sitting at the fire, trading stories - ah, finally, a usual day in Nornheim! At last.

Nights were slightly cold on Nornheim. So the fire burnt brightly. Loki was sitting very closely, which was unusual, because his baby brother _loved_ freezing to death practically, as far as Thor knew; and Loki was wincing sometimes. Sometimes, he almost looked as if he was burnt a tiny little bit. As if he stuck his hand into the fire.

Which was ridiculous, as there was still a good two centimeters between any of his bodyparts and the fire. He was just being a baby about fires, as always, Thor knew that much.

*******

"When it comes to oddities, Hogun, Fandral, I will do you one better! My mother - She once assured me that Loki here is a Frost Giant! I think she was joking, though. T'was thirty years ago. The wreather was warm, just like today, so Loki was uncomfortable. You really are a quarter or something Frost Giant, are you not, brother?"  
"I kissed Loki once," Fandral muttered. "No frostbites. Strange that the Allqueen would lie."  
Suddenly Loki stood up.  
"I'm going to bring the Casket. I will probably be judged for that... but I'm fine with that. Mother. Did not. Lie. You fools!!!"

  
Loki?! Was Loki... a Frost Giant?!! Thor wondered, shocked to the core. Then again: so that is why he was rarely warm! His annoying brother suddenly made a modicum of sense. Thor laughed loudly, with joy and relief. Finally, also Loki's strange 'servant' joke made sense at last!

He reached to punch his little brother lightly--- only stayed his hand at the deadly terror in Loki's eyes. In Loki's suddenly unaesirly red, red, crimson eyes. Quite pretty eyes, actually. And original. His baby brother's eyes, still, utterly same, only changed in colour. The colour of blood.

However, his little brother was... shivering.

His little brother, who never felt any cold, and they were now at fireside, besides.

"So... now you believe... you didn't believe me before... that's how I was granted this much life and friendship with you, you've ignored all my words, of course, to you, I'm always a beloved liar and no word of mine can be true... so only now you believe me, Brother. I see. I see."

Loki sat down. Perfectly still. He closed his eyes.

"I apologise," he muttered, "for ever thinking you'd take me for a slave. You'd never deny anyone their freedom, at heart, Thor. I... mayhaps, I've mistaken you briefly for a monster such as myself. I apologise. Please, forgive me before you slay me now. Please. Please. I cannot... I don't want to go to Hel with your hatred. Please. Please."

Fandral hit Loki upside the head, then laughed.

Sif and Thor stared at him, almost blankly.

"What? I hit my ex-lover for not telling me I'm into beastiality! But it's perfectly fine, now I know. So. Carry on, then!" Laughing and grinning, Fandral left the fireside and went into his tent. And closed it.

In a moment, there were muffled screams from within Fandral's tent.

Thor and Sif blinked.

And then they noticed that Loki disappeared.

"He left," Sif uttered. "Or. He's hiding."

"I--I suppose?" Thor said, thinking it sounded foolish even in his own mind. "Did I offend my little brother?'

"No," Sif said, shaking her head, "I rather think Fandral did. That's rude of him, you know."

"Loki?"

"No!" Sif replied, shouting, blushing furiously, "Fandral, dammit, by Allfather's beard, Fandral!"

Thor just stared at his lady friend, confused. Utterly confused. A woman's mind worked in a strange ways. Sometimes, he feared that Loki had a woman's mind, too.

He feared it, because than, understanding his little Brother would be even more difficult than now, to him.

_Oh, Fates, let it not be so._

Hogun sat quietly for a time.

And then, he suddenly muttered, "I greatly admire Prince Loki's courage. Truly, he's more virtuous than I knew him to be, before today. I'd now follow him into Ragnarok, if the need arose. He's truly brave, even slightly more than you, my Friends."

Thor could only stare. Because now Hogun might as well have a mind of a woman, for all the sense this utterance made to Thor's brain.


	5. Shut Up and Dance with Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I don't MUCH mind that my bro is another species, look, I even covered for him his silly little temporary mischievious actions, what a good brother I am", aka, equivalent of casual racist Thor.
> 
> (Nobody is perfect.)

And then, Loki left instantly, or pretended to leave.

"Loki!" Fandral shouted.

Yes, Fandral deigned to leave his tent.

That had all happened before.

***********

  
Right now, Thor was talking to their Father. Odin looked--- quite angry, Thor thought. And displeased. And, worst of all the worst things, _disappointed._

  
"Thor. You were seen with the Casket of the Ancient Winds."

  
"Yes, father, but t'is back in the Vault now, safe." Thor said, softly. All's well that ends well. Isn't that right, Loki, wherever you might be now? Vanaheim? Midgard? Jotunheim? Muspelheim--er, probably not?

  
Odin frowned.

  
"That is not my question. Did Loki try to steal the Casket of Ancient Winds?"

  
"Steal? No, never! I wanted to give Loki the Casket, since they are from the same place and all. Loki refused my gift, saying it not be mine to give till I'm crowned. He, he's right. I'm sorry, father."

  
Odin sighed deeply.

  
"I do not deserve to hear my own firstborn purposefully lie to my face! Speak true, my son. Nobody shall be unjustly punished. Maybe not punished at all. The Casket only left the Vault for two days, after all. And nobody's suffered for it." Odin stated, slightly less grim now.

  
"Loki borrowed the Casket for me," Thor quickly supplied, on a... whim, perhaps? At least, he hasn't planned to say it for long. But. It felt right, it just did. He planned to say it a minute ago, discarded the plan, and then

 

\--and then did the plan.

What? That served him well in many a battle. Some opponents would say 'but he went with his worst plan, probably, and yet he won! yet he triumphed!'. Thor was always very proud of his planning and fortitude and Asgardian pride in strength of his--plans? Split-second plans? In cases like that, and proud he'd surely always be, as the Odinson. Oldest and most handsome and smartest Odinson. Well. Not the most clever, maybe, but who could best Loki? That would be a fool's errand.

Yea.

Truly.

********

Odin looked at Thor carefully, seeking, Thor suddenly realised, a lie.

But what was the lie? Was it a lie? Thor took a deep breath, and thought.

_My brother... Loki would never have taken the Casket if not for my foolish taunts. If not for my ignorance. Nay, it is I... and so, he took it for me, I'd say._

"Father. Loki did borrow the Casket for me. _I_ should be punished."

Odin shook his head, and then sighed.

"Be that as it may... you shouldn't like to the Allfather, Thor. Next ten years, you shall spend in prison. To learn the value of _honesty."_

"Yes, Father. I shall."

Thor bowed deeply.

Odin sighed again.

"You will have visiting hours, my Son."

"Well, naturally. Why wouldn't I?" Thor replied, grinning. "I mean, I'm a prince!"

Odin looked somber.

"Maybe. Not every day."

Thor sighed. Fiiiiiine.

_Father might visit once or twice. Mother will visit. But, brother.... Loki... don't leave me brotherless for ten years, by Odin's beard, I'd not leave you brotherless for ten years. Do come home. Even if you're a frost giant. It's alright with me. Do come home._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Do you know what Odin's actually hoping for by for a moment imprisoning Thor? :D


End file.
